When I started out in the arts industry I was still in uni. It was as is usual in the arts - a lot of on the job training. I learned as I worked and with support from the fantastic team at Theatrau Sir Gar - I was up to speed in no time. I loved working in theatre, it is dynamic, ever-changing, fast-paced and creative - right up my alley. But at the same time that ever-changing, fast-paced environment also meant that getting to learn from and share ideas with others in the arts world was next to impossible.
Years later, I made the move and started working with Ticketsolve. What struck me then - and even now - is the engagement and involvement from customers; they are really interested in learning more and spreading their own knowledge about how to do things better within the arts.
Whether in the Ticketsolve Forums, webinars, workshops, conferences, etc., everyone I meet in the arts has this drive to be better, to make improvements that delight customers and ultimately make their arts organisation successful.
And really there is so much to learn! So many tips and tricks and words of wisdom that could help - how do you find the time to get to it all?
Enter The Arts and Everything In Between podcast. In this bi-monthly podcast my colleagues and I chat to arts people far and wide and get the low down on everything related to the arts. From the best digital marketing ideas to raising your fundraising game, this podcast will give you practical ideas you can use and hopefully some inspiration too. The best bit is you can listen and learn anywhere - on your commute or while walking your dog!
To give you a flavour of what we have covered so far keep reading!
Digital has grown by leaps and bounds, but digital skills within arts organisations have unfortunately not kept pace. And that is where James and the rest of the team at the Digital Culture Network come in. They can help address this skills gap so that arts organisations have the practical skills to deal with all their data and make it work for them.
Arts people wear so many hats, do so many jobs, so it isn't exactly surprising that digital skills take a back seat to more pressing issues. But ignoring data comes at a cost not only to time but also effectiveness and efficiencies that can hurt arts organisations in the long run. As James rightly pointed out, the key is to take it step-by-step and get help! Often there are small things that you can do that can make a big difference.
Listen now to hear James' 10 Questions You Need to Ask Yourself when thinking about your digital strategy.
In this jam-packed episode, we got a chance to talk with Marketing Manager, Iain Christie. A long-time arts guy, Iain started out with Liverpool's Royal Court back when it was a comedy club and as he said "fell upwards" over the years into his current position.
Iain shared Liverpool's Royal Court's fascinating journey from its founding in 1826 through its art deco era and its life as a gig venue where audiences could catch the biggest acts of their day from McCartney to Bowie and Oasis. Iain then talked about Royal Court's recent refurbishment project and their induction into the Art's Council's National Portfolio Organisations, which has helped to bootstrap their many community projects.
Iain talked about everything from pricing strategies to programming but our big takeaway?
Understanding your audience is about really putting yourself in their shoes and doing things that suit your particular audiences needs not what you think they need.
Listen now to Iain Christie and get an insider's look into Liverpool's Royal Court
It's not often you get to hear about a brand new project starting from the literal ground up! With a background as a professional musician and producer, Benedict Schlepper-Connolly is no stranger to managing creative projects and tight deadlines. In his role as Digital Curator at the Museum of Literature Ireland or MoLI, Benedict is responsible for creating and managing the museum's unique digital vision.
MoLI was born of from the creative alliance between the National Library of Ireland and UCD – the NLI’s Joyce collections and UCD’s most significant historic property, Newman House.
Some exceptionally generous donations propelled the idea into reality, transforming Newman House’s Aula Maxima building into a 10,000ft2 exhibition space, while creating universal access across all the buildings of the historic site where UCD itself was founded.
Benedict joined MoLI in 2018 and traces its journey explaining the branding and identity process and gave insight on the challenges of MoLI faced prior to opening in 2019. He also took us through challenges that they have faced since their opening.
Listen to our chat with Benedict and learn about MoLI's unique journey and their view of digital curation.
Join the conversation with a new Arts podcast! You’ll find The Arts and Everything In Between on your favourite podcast service including Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcast and more. And if you have a suggestion for a guest or would like to be a guest yourself - get in touch!